Bannon says "we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November"
Host of the War Room podcast and former White House strategist
“you're damn right we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November. We're not gonna sit here and allow you to steal the country again.”
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Media Matters clip and transcript of the Feb. 3, 2026 War Room broadcast. The quoted words were checked against the audio of the clip.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
The Guardian's report of Bannon's remarks. It describes him as a former White House strategist and podcast host who has no formal power but is closely tied to the Trump administration.
Original video
About this source
White House video of the Feb. 5, 2026 press briefing. The quoted wording is our transcription of the video audio and matches a published transcript of the briefing.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Bannon had just said Democrats were calling this the greatest voter suppression movement in history.
After the quotation
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the remark at a briefing two days later.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Should ICE and other armed federal agents be allowed at or near polling places in the 2026 election?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The fixed reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE at or near polling places. Bannon said ICE would surround the polls and tied it to preventing an alleged stolen election, which argues for the practice. He holds no government role, so this is recorded as commentary rather than an administration position.
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- Published here
Should ICE and other armed federal agents be allowed at or near polling places in the 2026 election?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
More from this case
Read the full case“We are taking strong, joint legal action to block Donald Trump’s threats to deploy federal agents, including ICE and FBI agents, to polling places this November. … Federal law explicitly forbids voter intimidation and stationing armed federal agents at polling places.”Read statement
NAACP
“We reject this administration’s attempt to desecrate our polling sites by converting them into militarized zones through the unlawful deployment of ICE or any other federal agent … The Voting Rights Act prohibits intimidation tactics that stand to deny and deter voters from exercising their voice and their rights.”Read statement
“I have not seen any operational plans or any discussions on any immigration enforcement operation at polling places. This is another fear tactic. This is another attack on ICE and this administration. … I want to put that to bed. There is no plan to sweep polling places looking for illegal aliens.”Read statement